What are the six things in your life that are most fulfilling?

My syntax is shocking today, sorry!

I was halfway through writing this then I felt guilty about how selfish all my choices were.

Mine are also on my Facebook profile: Art, Sport, Science, Reflection, Conversation and Food. If you want me to be more specific, then Writing Poetry, Popular Music, Football, Cricket, Comedy and Conversation With Friends Or Nice Young Ladies would make the cut.

This thread has highlighted the fact that I seem to be in a bit of a rut at the moment :( I probably just need a holiday. I'm going to LA for 2 weeks around Thanksgiving, which I suppose isn't that far away now. Seems like ages though.

Anyway:

1) thank fuck for music
2-6) ....?

- having a big night out with friends and meeting exciting new people, probably involving much drinking and dancing
- lounging at home eating good food and watching favourite TV shows
- going away somewhere and experiencing an interesting new part of the world, and getting it all on camera
- dreaming up various projects and realising them (inc. websites, imagery and lengthy music mixes, discovering great combinations/ideas in the process)
- acquiring music or other art either long sought after or only recently discovered to be awesome
- communing with my animal brethren for i am The Phantom

-Drawing
-Writing music
-Journaling/blogging
-Good relationship with Mum
-Friends/Bandmates
-Um... Country Life?

i like to think i've reached a zen state where everything is in balance, so i couldn't really pick six in particular.

or something.

i dunno. i try to jettison unfulfilling shit as quickly as i can.

(it'd be a damn sight easier to pick the two things that aren't fulfilling: working for my current employers, and this motherfucking piece-of-shit router.)

Friends
Music
Sex
Cuddling
Booze
City living

(I'm not having regular sex now, so this is more of an universal list.)

fishing
photography
doodling
friends
games/computing in general
porn

family
friends
books
cooking for others, eating shared meals
sleep (not like 12 hours a day unhealthy sleep, just a couple of 8 hour nights in a row to make me human again)
running or taking long walks outdoors

i want Sleep as a seventh

1 Family (inc husband, daughter(s), parents)
2 Health (knock on wood!)
3 Food (yummy yummy I got too much of it in my tummy)
4 Sex (when belly's not in the way and that's ALL i will say on the matter)
5 TV series (Veronica Mars, Sopranos,...)
6 Hobbies (Reading, writing and.... musickness)

how can eating not be on some people's lists?

1. eating
2. sleeping
3. doing 'paranoia' on export level on DDR
4. getting a strike in bowling
5. snogging and related activities
6. don't think there is a 6.

dude, FOOD. what do you think i do with the food?

1. relationships (family & friends)
2. cooking/eating for enjoyment as well as necessity
3. finally reaching a decision as to where I want to be in life right now and being happy with that decision, regardless of where it takes me
4. good books/TV/cinema/music/football/comedy - just general appreciation of things that entertain me
5. finally not having financial worries of any sort
6. conquering fear of flying and realising the whole new experiences it can open up for me

ailsa's list is the best so far.

grimly, you've clearly never played 'paranoia' on expert level on DDR

it's interesting that 'family' isn't featuring on a lot of these lists. it wouldn't feature on mine, either.

-good friends in general
-knowing that i've really been able to support a good friend who's going through a shit time
-my best friend, jordan
-books/art/music
-eating
-sex/affection

so basically, friends: because all the other stuff is made so much better by having them around to share it with.

it's not a competition (xposts)

btw the enjoyment of my number 4 increases exponentially with the number of consecutive strikes

f = c ^n

fun (f) = funofastrike constant(c) to the power of numberofconsecutivestrikes (n).

ha, grimly, mine could just be the same as your zen-like balance of stuff but I thought I'd try and expand on it a bit more.

(best = "most in tune with mine", surely, not "better than anyone else's"?)

1. Mister M.
2. My brothers and my parents

And, in no particular order:

3. Good food/good wine
4. Good TV
5. Giving my pets a good life
6. A really good walk

Oh my, Paranoia on Expert! I can only dream!!

You can do it! Las Vegas sesh soon?

1. brothers/niece
2. girlfriend
3. time with friends
4. good food
5. down time with good book
6. crushing my enemies, and hearing the lamentation of their women. or maybe expenses cheques from work.

1. My mate
2. Our animals and the others which we love/care for
3. My brother, sister-in-law and their children
4. Writing
5. Sewing and knitting
6. Our home

1. Music and DJing/Writing (does not require health)
2. Family (see above)
3. Friends (see above, generally)
4. Swimming (a new entry, but can't get enough of this lately)
5. Reading (see above)
6. Sleeping (helps health)

Food doesn't fulfill me, it just fills me. And makes me fat and porcine, so therefore must STOP trying to get fulfillment from food. :-(

Ronan, I thought of mentioning health-related bits as well. But since it's role in my life is mostly trying to maintain and achieve a good state of it, it didn't really seem fulfilling. Things that help get you there, definitely. :)

Food does fulfill me, but unlike family and friends and the outdoors and such, it also makes me fat and porcine. Limiting fulfillment is a problem.

food fulfills me and i have lots of it.

DDR next week after work??

yes! wednesday?

with an eating bonus round?

family
friends
sex
art
sleep
food

You all seem so happy...

Only on paper.

haha, I was going to start a "what are the six things in your life that are most frustrating/make you most sad?" thread as a parallel to this one.

xpost

(because these things I listed are good, but they are coupled with a whole bunch of not-good stuff)

I mean, I struggled to find 6 things that are fulfilling. If you had asked Ailsa's question, I'd have rattled you off 2 dozen as soon as look at ya.

Terrible, I know! Must focus more on pleasant things! Which is why this thread was a good exercise.

*my kids & my parents
*friends
*my childhood home in the country
*music & related stuff
*other arts, farts n'tertainments
*marveling @ tuomas's new definition of "universal" :)

but that's why it's good to take a minute to think about what you *do* have that's fulfilling in your life - because it can be so easy to get caught up in all the shit that's going wrong.

whenever things are really bumming me out, and i'm feeling like i'm completely fucked, the one thing that makes me feel better is reminding myself how lucky i am to have such amazing friends.

Yes, exactly, this is very true, RR.

It is, which is why I didn't start the alternative thread, because people (OK, me) don't really need another excuse to moan about the shit things in life.

There are many Debbie Downers on ILx.

i like that the question was "most fulfilling" and not "most pleasant" or "most relaxing" or something, it sets a high standard.

In no order:

- sex/my girl
- music
- movies
- books, especially on the nature/science tip
- work/designing
- food

That's just what the rest of ILX is for, Ailsa! ;-)

And yeah, fulfilling is an interesting choice of words, but a good one. Anyway, I'll shut up with the commentary and hope more people make with the lists.

That's good that you put sex and your girl side-by-side with sex leading, Kenan.

oops Sarah when I said Wednesday?? I meant to say Thursday?????

Stuff
Things
This
That
The Material
The Immaterial

Order varies.

i like that the question was "most fulfilling" and not "most pleasant" or "most relaxing" or something, it sets a high standard.

"most" is relative, maria. so it's not really a standard at all! Everybody has "most fulfilling" things, just not necessarily that fulfilling!

xpost
see ned's example. poor ned

fulfilling is deeper than pleasant or relaxing.

Wildflowers are pleasant to me but they don't really give my life meaning.

Ha ha, Ned's answer is best yet!

Yeah Thursday is better actually... anyway take it to team ddr!

I can't do facebook GROUPS.. do you wanna do it??!?!?!

i'd be up for some ddr action! it's been a long time.

join Team DDR ledge!

also: come to las vegas next thursday!

Good point - okay guys I've said Thursday! Yeah! Then afterwards it will be THE EAT OFF. Nom nom nom nom nom!

Ned The Smoof Evaderist

I'm in a better mood today :)

1) we changed asthma cat's medicine and he's being incredibly cute so it must be working
2) my job's not that bad considering it's a job
3) old friends that I actually wanted to get in touch with finding me on Facebook
4) ESG
5) a vague sense of optimism
6) ok well I got to 5, that's more than 1

1. Friends buddies boyfirend such people
2. Solving math problems...so soothing
3. Someone else buys me delicious food and or drink
4. OH THA PUPPY it's my little Snitter friend my dog, you see
5. Pondering my curious dreams (hard not to tell others about this as I know others can find this quite dull, even though I like to think I have one snazzy and vivacious subconscious)
6. Taking a really good shit

abbott u r no lady

Now you're talking. I'll nick your no. 6 - that makes 6 for me! Hurrah.

It has a wonderful feeling that lasts for a good half hour. I described this in detail to my mom once and she said I'd REALLY like having a baby.